Louisville Water CEO steps down
CEO's departure continues a bumpy year for the Louisville Water Co.
The Louisville Water Co. chief executive officer resigned on Wednesday, the day before he was scheduled to appear in an Oldham County court for penalties on a 2014 charge of driving while intoxicated.
James Brammell's announced departure also follows a story published Tuesday in The Courier-Journal about an open-records battle involving his former vice president and general counsel over questions about a relationship with another former vice president.
He leaves after a 20-year career at Louisville Water, the company said.
A news release from the city-owned company said Brammell, the president and CEO since 2013, will retire, effective Jan. 1, 2016. He previously served seven years as vice president and chief engineer.
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In an email to employees, Brammell did not explain why he was leaving.
But he said he decided to go after "much thought and reflection." He cited some of the company's accomplishments during his career at the water company and wished the employees well.
"Louisville Water has a 155-year history of quality, innovation, value and service," he wrote. "I’m confident in our leadership team and in each of you, and I know that LWC will continue to be a leader in the future. I will always value the memories that I have of the company and the many friendships and co-workers that I leave behind."
During his career at Louisville Water, Brammell has been involved in initiatives that improved water quality and expanded Louisville Water’s footprint in the region, the company said in its announcement.
Most recently, Brammell oversaw the renovation of the company’s Crescent Hill Filtration Plant and was part of a team that put the Riverbank Filtration project online at the B.E. Payne Plant.
“The Board of Water Works thanks Jim for his years of service in advancing Louisville Water’s mission,” said Creighton Mershon, board chair, in a written statement. “The board assures the community that the standard of excellence in water quality and innovation will continue. The board will discuss the transition plan at its next meeting on Nov. 17.”
Last week, the board held a three-hour closed session to discuss litigation and personnel. Brammell was not in the board room for much of that meeting.
"It's not a happy day for him," Mershon said in an interview, adding that Brammell made significant contributions to the water company. "He did a good job in many ways," including overseeing the production of superior drinking water and keeping the company on solid financial grounds.
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But Brammell's departure continues a series of top-level departures at the water company that serves more than 850,000 Louisville area residents and pays a $20 million annual dividend to Louisville Metro government.
Among those departures, former 11-year general counsel Barbara Dickens left in May, saying she was no longer able to do her job because of company leadership.
In March, former chief financial officer Amber Halloran departed with a $55,000 separation agreement that the water company tried to keep secret. The company provided the agreement to The Courier-Journal only after losing an open records appeal with the Kentucky attorney general.
Tuesday, the C-J reported that Dickens had been filing open records requests since her departure that sought to get at the nature of a relationship between Brammell and Halloran.
"As a result of a series of incidents in which Dickens' legal and ethical obligations as general counsel ... conflicted with the interests of Brammell and/or Halloran, on important company matters, Dickens resigned from LWC in May 2015," the appeal said.
The CEO and CFO were known around the company as "Bramber," wrote Scott Dickens, Barbara Dicken's husband and attorney, in the open-records appeal.
Halloran described their relationship as good friends, and Brammell has through his staff declined requests to discuss the matter.
"We are being asked to comment on allegations that concern the personal affairs and the privacy of our personnel and employees who are currently here and employees who have left this business," acting general counsel Michael Tigue told the newspaper last week. "Legally and corporately, nobody would expect us to do that, and we are not going to do that. This is subject matter that is private and is personal."
Scott Dickens did not immediately return a request for comment.
Louisville Water puts its customers on hold
The company's customer service staff have also strained this year to get through a months-long transition to a new billing system that's caused long waits for customers trying to talk to water company officials about their accounts.
The C-J reported in October that average hold times for customers calling in to resolve billing spiked to nearly 20 minutes in September. More than 55 percent of nearly 63,000 callers that month hung up in frustration.
Mershon said the board will probably look for some interim leadership to guide the water company next.
The board members are appointed by the Louisville mayor, who also serves as an ex offico member of the board. Mayor Greg Fischer's chief of staff, Ellen Heson, attends the board meetings for the mayor. Neither the mayor nor Hesen were available for an interview, said city spokeswoman Jean Porter.
“Jim has over 20 years of service at Louisville Water Co., working in a variety of important roles, including engineering, labor management, regionalization and assisting in the advancement of the One Water Initiative,” Fischer said in a written statement. “I appreciate the knowledge he brought to the company and his years of service to the community.”
One Water is the mayor's effort to get the water company and Metropolitan Sewer District to collaborate for savings and improved service.
Brammell replaced Greg Heitzman, who Fischer moved to MSD following a scathing management audit. Heitzman retired from MSD in September.
Reach reporter James Bruggers at (502) 582-4645 or at jbruggers@courier-journal.com.